Loss, Laughter And Tears
by Salvatoreboys4ever
Summary: ONB Post Finale Part 4- The DELENA reunion they deserved. Over 400 reviews for this 9 part Human Delena series so far. Bonnie wakes up after fighting the hellfire. Racing to Mystic Falls, she finds a drunk Damon and they both offer the other a gift to begin their healing. She is determined to bring Elena back to him just in time for Stefan's funeral. What I wish TVD had given us.
1. A Best Friends Comfort

A/N: Here is the next story! I will keep writing this as long as people like. I'm excited to get past the mourning and sad parts, to the joy and wedding and kids!

Stefan might still pop up in the stories off and on just so you know. I brought him back the same way that Ric was brought back when he just wanted to say goodbye to Jeremy before he died in season 3.

Enjoy this installment of the ONB series. This chapter is primarily Bonnie and Damon, leading up to waking Elena. It ended up being really long so I split it up and Elena wakes up in the next one.

Rated M for Language

* * *

Bonnie awoke and looked around her. There was smoke and charred walls in front of her. She could hardly believe that she and her ancestors had kept the hellfire back. She lifted herself up, leaning on her arms as she scanned the room. Most of the artifacts seemed to be still safely enclosed in their glass cases. The damage was all along the walls and the even the floor near her was blackened by the blazing heat.

She thought back to what had all happened. She had determined that she would save the world. She had said goodbye to Ric and the girls and Caroline and then it had been just her left in silence in the large room. When the fire raced toward her she felt the power of it and its desire to consume her. She could feel the blood slip out of her nose and she knew she was pushing the limits of her power. But suddenly something in her snapped and she just refused to give up. She wanted to live.

That night she had nearly died after helping Lizzie and Josie out of the burning house. She had been overjoyed to see Elena and she was ready to go; ready to be with Enzo. She wanted it to be her time right then. But now standing there with the fire seconds away from wiping her off the earth she wanted to stay. She wanted to live!

She remembered crying out that she wasn't strong enough but telling herself over and over that she could do this.

 _"You can't have me," she screamed back at the flames. It's not my time!" Where had that come from?_

 _"Now you are finally ready to live," she heard the most amazing voice call through the rage of the fire. She looked over and saw her love standing there smiling at her; like he had succeeded in his goals for her since he had been forced to leave her._

 _"Hi," she mumbled to him looking him up and down, wishing he was real._

 _"Keep fighting love." He was so calm and he looked like he had all the confidence in the world in her. She felt so weak._

 _She shook her head at him, wishing she had the faith in herself like he did. "It's too strong," She stared back at the fire in front of her seeing it coming closer. "I can't do it alone," she cried out._

 _All she wanted was him there for real, alive with her. That she knew would have given her the strength to fight harder. To fight to be with him. But now there was no storybook ending for them. She could save Mystic Falls and Elena but she would still be alone._

 _"Nonsense," Enzo interrupted her thoughts, staring right in her eyes. "You are strong enough to do anything you put your mind to." He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. She could feel him touch her and in that moment she wanted to dive into his arms and just be holding him as the fire claimed her. She just wanted to die in his embrace. He gave her his amazing half smile and looked on her like he had a secret he could not wait to share with her._

 _Then she felt a hand in hers, not his hand but another hand and she turned to her right. She could hardly believe her eyes! Her Grams was right there holding her hand! She was taking some of the weight of the spell off her._

 _Grams smiled at her, her face tight in concentration and yet full of love for her before she focused back on the fire. Bonnie felt the tears at her lashes as she felt more weight release and more power flood her body. The connection to Grams was giving her strength! She could do this._

 _A tear slipped down her cheek as they began chanting together and then she felt another hand in hers. Another Bennett witch was there supporting her, taking her burden. And then another and another as the weight of the fire felt less and less and the power they all had as one family, one force for good grew at an exponential rate. Until with a powerful scream they pushed forward and the fire retreated! They had beaten hell._

She shook her head and stood up, it had all felt like a nightmare. How was she even alive? She had felt the blood dripping from her nose as she had been screaming the spell to hold back the fire. It had been hard enough to redirect it and suck it back into the clock tower and bring it down into the tunnels. Her hand flexed slightly remembering the tight grip that her Grams had on her as they chanted together. She had just about given up by then. The hellfire was too strong and too powerful and she was just one witch. But then seeing so many Bennett's standing with her, behind her and all focused on one goal, she had never felt more powerful in her life.

"Enzo," she called out looking around for him as she stumbled toward the window. It was already nearing sunrise she could see and she had no idea what had happened to anyone else. She looked around frantically once more for her love. He had been her rock when she felt so weak. He had known how much she would regret missing her best friend's wedding day despite her anger for Stefan. Enzo himself had already forgiven him, he had said. She wished she was as strong as he was. She had no idea if she would ever forgive him for taking the love of her life from her.

"Enzo, please are you here?" she begged again. Her head spun as she scanned the wide expanse of the main display room in the Armory.

He was staring at her, his eyes so sad that she could not see him. He had watched her as she and her family fought the hellfire. He had seen the strength in her stance, in her eyes and in her scream as together as one, they forced back the flames. He saw her relief and the joy in her face as the fire raced back down the tunnels.

He wanted to catch her in his arms as he saw her falter and slip to the floor. She had used every single ounce of strength she had to fight. He had leaned over her and watched her as she lay so peacefully in sleep. He had been so afraid that she was gone but he had seen the slight rise and fall of her chest and he knew she would be okay.

"Please baby, I need to know I have not lost you." She felt the tears pooling in her eyes. She needed him so much now.

"I'm right here love," Enzo called out to her. He was standing right in front of her and had moved his hand to brush a lock of her hair behind her ear, but he could not touch her. She could not see him or hear him, at least not now. Maybe using so much of her magic had affected her ability to see and feel him.

But she could feel something, a sense of him near. She felt so scared that she might never see him again, that the connection she had with him was gone. But she knew she needed to find out if Damon was okay. Needed to know if Katherine was indeed destroyed in the fire.

She grabbed her phone and quickly dialed Damon's number. She held it up to her ear as she shrugged her jacket on. But the phone was buzzing like there was no connection. She pulled open the door, scooping up her purse and ran out and got in her car. It was a 30 minute drive to Mystic Falls, and she made it in 15, hoping Matt had better things to do than give her a speeding ticket when she had just saved every person in that town.

That part she knew she had done; saved Mystic Falls. She had felt the fire fighting her to race out of the clock tower but she had stopped it. So at least that part of the things she knew went right. She ran into the mansion, slamming the door closed behind her.

"Damon! Are you here?" She ran through the hall and down to the parlor, swinging her head around for any sign of anyone around. Was he gone? Where was Stefan? She saw a broken glass on the floor and an empty bottle of bourbon tipped over. Maybe he had been there. She stepped slowly down into the room and walked over to the empty bottle. She lifted it up in her hands and placed it back on the table. Someone must have been here.

"If you want some Bon, just say the word. There's plenty more. My tolerance is _not_ what it used to be."

She whirled around, a smile spreading across her face. "Damon?" She could see him standing there in the doorway to the room, still dressed in his shirt and dress pants from the wedding. "Are you really here? You didn't die in the fire? I had this horrible feeling just as I was doing the spell that you were in those tunnels!"

Damon reached his arms out and she threw herself in his embrace. He smiled broadly and shook his head as it was against her shoulder. "No, Bonnie, I'm okay. I'm here. You are not imagining me." He pulled back to look in her eyes. "I'm so glad you are okay too. What you attempted was suicide. How did you survive the hellfire?"

He was so torn. The part of him that loved Elena wanted her to come back to him especially now that he was human, but part of him was so glad Bonnie was okay too.

She was gasping with relief that he was okay, while clinging to him. She did not think after all she had lost that she could bear to lose him, her best friend too. She gripped his shoulders, moved back to look at him. "Wait, what about Katherine? Is she dead?"

Damon nodded, grinning broadly at her. "Yes finally ding dong, the bitch is dead," he sing-songed to her almost laughing.

But then was overcome with his feelings for the loss of his brother, knowing what he had lost to finally be rid of Katherine. He grabbed her hands and pulled her toward the couch. "I was going to do it. I was ready to die to save Elena; to make sure Katherine was finally gone. But Stefan would not let me. I compelled him to go back to Caroline and let me go. I thought he had when he walked away, but my idiot brother wanted to be the martyr one last time and was on vervain."

Bonnie was studying him intently as he spoke. She could see he was trying to hide how he much everything had hurt him. She put her arm around his and leaned on his shoulder. He put his hand on top of hers too. She had no idea what to say. She knew what he was telling her. She knew someone had to have died for Katherine to really be gone forever.

Damon nodded, sniffled and half laughed at her. "I've cried so much today already, Bon. I miss him. I can't believe I will never see him again. I got Elena out of the school and brought her home and to my bed and cried like a fucking baby last night." He nodded to her seeing in her eyes that she too knew he was gone. He put his head down on hers and sighed.

"My brother is dead and he saved _me_ from dying to stop Katherine. He told me he wanted _me_ to live, to take the life in front of me and go on. That _I_ deserved it." He squeezed Bonnie's hand in his as their heads were still leaned together as he stared into the fire. "He gave me the cure. I'm human now."

She jumped back at that and looked in his sad blue eyes. That was the last thing she expected would come out his mouth. He was human?! "Wow, uh oh." Stefan had given him the cure. "I can't believe it Damon. You... as a human."

Damon smiled at her and sniffled. "I know right? But yeah. That is why I couldn't just blur down here when you were calling for me when you came in. Hell, I barely heard you with my weak, little human ears. And I actually had to _walk_ down here from my room, holding the railings to not fall over. I'm still a little tipsy from too much bourbon," he smirked, holding up two fingers separated a bit like he felt a _little_ dizzy. Yeah right, a little my ass.

Now it was Bonnie's turn to laugh. "Yeah, well us little people are at such a disadvantage to vampires." She eyed him amused at his whole new reality. "I don't think I have ever seen you hungover. And you definitely look it now."

He made a face at her and gave her his iconic half smirk. "Mm hmm, I know. Being one of the little people will sure take some getting used to."

"Hard to believe that Caroline is the only vampire now." Bonnie's face fell as she thought of her friend. She had just been a part of her wedding and watched her exchange her vows with the man she loved and now he was just gone. "How is Caroline?"

Damon cleared his throat and stood up poking at the fire with the poker. He flinched a bit at the heat and the knowledge that he would not heal easily ever again. "She's a mess. Who wouldn't be. She is upstairs now in baby bros' room and wanted to be left alone. I checked on her late at night when I could not sleep and came down here and did the damage to that bottle."

He turned back to her, his eyes wide and he put his hands on either side of his head. "Damn, my head is pounding and you know what? I actually almost threw up on my bed last night! And Elena is laying there. Can you imagine?!"

Bonnie was quiet, her eyes equally wide but she could not hide how funny it was that Damon was mad at getting drunk.

"Uh huh, I know it does _not_ sound like me at all. I barely made it off the bed and to my bathroom before _everything_ I ate at that lovely wedding and even blood came up." He could hear the smallest giggle from his best friends lips. "It is not funny Bon!" he snapped at her.

She calmed her face instantly, biting the inside of her lips to not burst out laughing. He was glaring at her.

"I'm serious. You know how long it has _been_ since I have been hungover?" She shook her head still not making a sound. "Since during the war! Partying with the guys there and getting wasted in the fucking 1860's!"

The laugh burst from her lips and she slammed them closed fast, hoping he hadn't heard her. But it was too late and he whirled around nearly snarling. But now it was just a human snarl so even that was funny! "I'm sorry Damon. But that is hilarious. Even your big, bad vampire snarl when you usually have yellow eyes is so cute now. You being a human is cute." She laughed again.

Damon raised his eyebrows. "Cute, oh no hell no. Nothing I do will _ever_ be called cute. Are you serious right now?!"

She continued laughing at him and he had to admit with all the crying and pain he had seen her in lately, it felt so great to see her happy, even if it was at his expense.

But then she moved to stand beside him and leaned into his side. "I really am sorry Damon. I'm sure it will take a while to get used to everything. But just think that now you can have a human life with Elena. You guys can have kids together and raise a family. Don't knock us humans too quickly. There are some perks." She saw him smile at that and nod at her.

"Yeah, you are right. I could only dream of something that amazing before. That all got crushed when Stefan tried to kill Elena and you gave him the cure. Then I thought I would never get the chance to be human with her. It feels so surreal."

Bonnie smiled at him trying to avoid the pain that memory caused her but she saw that he had seen it in her face right away. He always seemed to know how she was feeling. There was little they could hide from each other.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up. It's not fair that I have the only chance for the happily ever after and you don't." He pulled her into his arms and just held her. He meant that with all his heart. His brother had also lost his future with Caroline, human or not and Bonnie had lost hers with Enzo.

"If I could change things I would. You deserve to be happy, honestly more than any of us. And here all we do is ask you to give up more and more for the greater good or to defeat the latest monster in our lives. I'm so sorry." He stroked her head and he could feel her sniffling into his chest.

"Thank you for saying that Damon. It means a lot, even if we can't go back and change things. I never regretted the things I've done for you, Elena, Stefan or anyone. But it just hurts so much that I can't have him in my arms. My heart literally aches for him Damon."

She was determined not to cry and stay strong but Damon had said he had cried a lot already too. But no matter how hard she tried, the tears just kept slipping down her cheeks and started to soak into his dress shirt. She relaxed into his strength and just sobbed for everything; her future with Enzo, Caroline's pain, Damon's pain, and the emptiness she was feeling.

* * *

A/N: I don't know about you I felt like it was so unfair that Bonnie again lost everything. She had such a great love with Enzo. I miss her relationship with Damon too and the best friends that they were. I tried to capture that here in what kind of conversations could have come up in him trying to comfort her and her doing the same for his loss of Stefan.

What did you think? Could you have pictured this kind of scene. Or did you like seeing Enzo's POV a bit as he watched everything unfold when the hellfire came and afterwards. I want to find a way to bring him back somehow within this series of stories but I have no ideas yet of how. Do you have any ideas?

Next chapter is the day of Stefan's memorial and Elena and Damon's long awaited reunion!


	2. I'm Here Damon, Forever

She lifted her head off his chest, pulled out of his arms and away from him. "But I'm scared too Damon. I'm scared that I can't bring Elena back to you. What if I'm not strong enough? What if none of us get the happy ending?"

Bonnie was staring back into the fire her arms tight around herself, wrapping her long sweater around her. She felt his hands on her shoulders again and he turned her around.

"Look Bonnie. I don't want to ask you for any more. You have already given so much and lost so much. Maybe none of us were destined to find love that would last, human or not. But I believe in you. I believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. If you want to try to bring Elena back I believe you can do it." He smiled sadly at her hoping she was seeing how much he cared about her.

Bonnie laughed through her tears. "That is the exact thing that Enzo told me last night about his belief in me, when I was fighting the hellfire."

"Really? Wow. You see, then you have two people that believe in you. And I'm sure that even the two ladies upstairs...whenever we see them next, believe just as much in you too." He hugged her once more and she wiped her tears and cleared her throat. "I have something for you too."

"I know, and I am so grateful for all of you," she continued not really hearing all that he said. "But I want to Damon. I do. I want to try to get Elena back to you. You need her, especially after losing your only brother. I need to do this for you."

Bonnie was stubbornly shaking her head at him that she could wait. She couldn't. She needed to wake Elena. "You said she was up in your room, well I am going to need all the candles you can find and I will not come back out of there unless Elena is walking out with me."

She stood taller in her determination and Damon knew better than to argue with her. He drew in a deep breath. "What did I ever do to deserve such an amazing friend like you?" He was deeply serious and his eyes felt more glassy as he blinked away more damn tears.

Bonnie just laughed as he turned and headed up the stairs. "You make the best pancakes. That's why." She knew she was teasing and she could see how much what she had said had affected him. "Well we do drive each other crazy and we have tried to kill each other a few times but I've seen under your masks Damon and I know how much you really care, how much you would die for your friends. How much you wanted to save this town. How much you are hurting losing Stefan and not having Elena to lean on. You need her and I want to do this. For you. So please let me."

Damon walked closer, choked up by what she was saying. She was so right and he needed to let her. "Okay, I will." he said finally. "But you need to let me do something for you too."

She stopped on the stairs nodding to him.

"You do this and wake Elena up for me...you let me pay for you to tour the world like you would have done with Enzo. And you _have_ to take pictures and send me and Elena postcards of all the places you visit. And I _need_ to see smiles in those pictures. _That_ is the deal."

Bonnie sucked in a deep breath. "How, how did you know about that?"

Damon grinned at her. "A little birdie, namely your boyfriend might have mentioned a thing or two to me about what he wanted your future to look like. And I know I can't bring him back for you, but I can help show you where he had all wanted to take you. Paris was just the beginning, he said."

Bonnie ran her fingers around the necklace of his blood she had on and smiled back at Damon. "He what? He gave you a list of places he wanted to take me?"

"Yep awhile back when there was actually a quiet moment and we both were ourselves, we did have a guy talk about our respective women." He walked back down the hall to the parlor with her following him and opened the desk drawer. "He wanted me to give you this if anything ever happened to him."

Bonnie's hand trembled as she took the folded up piece of paper from him. She opened it up, her whole body shaking.

 _My Darling Bonnie,_

 _If you are reading this I am gone and the risk of hell on earth is over. With so much going on and so much danger around, I was so scared for us. For our happiness and I could not bear to lose you. And now I have. I will miss you so much, love._

 _I'm am so sorry that I cannot go with you on our world tour. Our time in Paris was the best time in my whole immortal life. You made me feel alive in so many ways Bonnie Bennett. We made so many memories and I want you to treasure those times and lock them away in your heart. You were my life and my reason to take the next breath. I never imagined falling in love, or that I ever deserved such an incredible woman in my life._

 _I survived decades of torture before you and every minute that I could not be in your arms once we had found each other was even worse anguish. I loved you with my whole heart and I wanted to you know that no matter what happens, I want you to be strong and be the fierce, independent woman I fell in love with._

 _Take the tour Bonnie. Let Damon and I do this for you. I asked him to look after you. I told him not to give this to you till you were safe at last and the danger had passed. The list of places I want you to visit is on the back of this page. Do everything you have dreamed with your life and know that I will be looking down on you every second. Wear my necklace, remembering that my essence is always near you._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Lorenzo St. John_

Damon was watching her as she read the letter and getting more and more emotional. He walked closer and saw her lean against the railing clutching the letter tight in her hands.

She turned it over and read over all the cities to visit. Wow, just wow, she thought and she nodded tearfully to Damon. "I will, I will. Thank you so much for this." She held the letter against her heart and closed her eyes.

Damon smiled softly at her. "You are so welcome. I'm glad I could do this for you, for both of you."

She wiped her tears again. "Now, show me Elena and get me those candles."

He took her hand and squeezed it, smiling at her. "Right this way."

* * *

The candles were glowing all over the room. It had been a few days, almost a week and Bonnie was still bound and determined to break the spell. Damon had been busy taking care of Caroline and preparing for his brother's funeral. He had even told her that Care had compelled someone to carve Stefan a headstone that they could display in the Salvatore crypt as a memorial. Those things usually take months but she had the man work day and night till it was done.

Damon had left that morning after kissing Elena on the top of the head tenderly. Bonnie had nodded that she would be along soon. She wanted to keep trying just a little longer. Damon had forced her to sleep at least at night to regain her strength. But she was up every morning ready to keep at it more.

He agreed to go on without her and smiled at her sadly and she could tell that he needed Elena something fierce today. Today he was burying his brother. They had no body to lay to rest but she could tell he was struggling to hold it together. He needed her. She stood up and hugged him and felt him shaking in her arms. She needed to bring her back today. He was falling apart without his brother and her.

Once he left she closed her eyes again and focused deep in her mind. The candles sprung to life all over the room and flickered, glowing brightly. She clutched the Maxwell talisman tight in her fist.

She had hugged Matt the day she started to break Elena's spell when he showed up to see her and check on his friends and she felt a jolt of energy. He pulled it off the chain he had on his neck and handed it to her explaining that it belonged to a Bennett witch back when the 100 witches burned. She felt its power the second she touched it and as strange as it was, she had felt the connection to the other Bennett witches, Grams, Emily, Lucy, Ayana, Beatrice, everyone. And with their help she had found the spell that should undo the coma.

She chanted over and over watching Elena closely and just waited and waited for it to work. Elena's face looked so serene and relaxed in sleep. But all of a sudden her eyelashes started moving!

Bonnie sat up closer to her, and blinked a few times. Had she just imagined it! But then her lips parted and her eyes opened slowly blinking at the bright light!

She felt giddy standing by the bed and felt like she could have screamed with joy. She was beaming watching Elena look around and sit up. She nearly laughed and put her hands over her face.

"There she is," she whispered and her hands went together like in prayer. She could not believe it had worked!

"Am I?" Elena mumbled looking up at her and then touching her own cheek in wonder that she was alive.

Bonnie nodded at her, the smile growing more. "I did it." She nodded at her and shrugged her shoulders, almost telling herself too that she had really done it as her voice cracked with emotion. "I broke the spell."

Elena was smiling back at her, her eyes full of wonder. "How?" She was really there, alive? How long had it been? She had so many questions. She saw she was in Damon's room, in his bed. Oh God, how she missed him.

"It took some time. But I think I finally figured this witch thing out." Bonnie was near tears as she watching the joy grow on her best friend's face. They laughed and hugged and Bonnie held her so tightly. She had thought she would never get to do that again. She felt a tear slip down her cheek and she felt the mood in the room grow somber quickly.

She pulled back to look at Elena and saw she was near tears too and smoothed her hair off her shoulder. She had not said anything but it looked like Elena knew somehow what had all happened.

Elena felt like her emotions were pulling her back and forth, from joy to sorrow. She remembered seeing Stefan and Damon in the school. She remembered that Stefan was gone and had died to save her. She knew Damon was hurting so much right then and how much he needed her. She needed him too so much.

She looked sadly at Bonnie, her lip quivering. "Where is he?" she begged. She could not wait to be in his arms. It must have felt for him that his world had crashed down around him and she needed to lift him up, to show him there was hope and joy and love waiting beyond the grief.

"He is with Caroline," Bonnie replied her voice shaking too now. "Saying good bye."

* * *

Bonnie drove her to the cemetery. She had not even known why she wanted to shower and change first but she felt sticky and smelly and she wanted to look her best for the love of her life. She had on a bright spring colored dress and had done her makeup and put on his favorite perfume of hers.

She didn't see him when she got there. Where was he?

* * *

Damon was staring sadly at his brother's grave stone.

 _Stefan Salvatore_

 _Brother, Husband, Friend._

 _Born in 1846._

 _Now at Peace._

He ran his finger across the word 'peace'. That gave him great comfort. That Stefan was finally at peace. No more ripper, no more cravings, no more regrets, no more guilt. At least he prayed that that was true. It had to be true.

"Do you think it exists?" he whispered, mostly to himself but also to his brother's widow standing beside him.

"Peace?" she questioned him.

"Mmm hmm," he mumbled back to her, shaking his head, still staring at the grave stone.

"I do," Caroline smiled. "We will see him again."

"You'll see him again," he said very matter of factly. "Me, I'm going the other way. They will probably reopen hell for me." His face was grave, his anger and sadness barely contained. The thought of not seeing his brother ever again hurt so much. He felt her hand find his and he held on as he fought the feelings wanting to pour out.

"Don't be so sure," she smiled again this time with sadness in her eyes.

"Hmm," he half smiled back, wanting to believe her and her hope and faith for the future. She leaned her head down and put her hand on his shoulder, offering any comfort he would take. He squeezed her hand and brought their joined hands up to his heart.

She left him with his grief and his pain standing by the gravestone. He just kept staring at it, all he had left of his only brother and closed his eyes.

* * *

Caroline was the first to come out of the crypt and when she looked up and saw Elena she looked completely shocked. Her hands were clasped by her face as they both laughed in joy and disbelief. She was ready to run to Elena to give her the biggest best friend hug. But then she paused hearing a gasp coming from Damon behind her and she moved out of the way to witness the most amazing reunion they had all been waiting for.

Damon blinked, his head down a bit as he walked out and let out a gasp under his breath when he saw her.

 _Her._

Oh my God, he thought he must be dreaming again. She was beaming at him, her eyes shining with love for him. Bonnie and Caroline were standing right there and reacting too, with murmurs and gasps that she was there. This wasn't a dream. She was really there!

They both raced forward at the same moment and their lips crashed together, his arms around her and hers slid around his neck. She pulled him into the tightest hug he had ever felt. "Elena," he breathed into her hair. His eyes were so wide in astonishment and he wrapped his arms around her cradling her to him.

Elena felt like she was home. She sighed at the feel of his hands on her body, his lips felt so soft and so warm after so, so long. She did not even know how long it had been yet. There was so much to talk about yet.

But she knew why they were here now...to say goodbye to Stefan. She held onto him so snugly never wanting to let go. She was incredulous that she was finally back in his arms. "I missed you so much," she breathed into his neck and she felt him start to shake.

He was so overcome with emotion. There had been so much sadness, so much loss. And now he had his love back. She could help him through this. He knew he wasn't strong enough to do it alone. He pulled back from her to look in her eyes. Those gorgeous brown eyes he had missed seeing for so long. He cradled her face, caressing her cheeks softly with his thumbs. He saw her look around them and they saw that Bonnie and Caroline had moved off discreetly to give them some time alone.

"I really can't believe you are here," he choked out.

She smiled back at him, her hands running through the hair at the back of his neck. "Bonnie did it. She broke the spell." She felt tears slipping down her cheeks. She closed her eyes as she felt his lips on her face kissing away the tears. "I'm here Damon, forever. And I want to be here for you however you need me."

Damon felt another knot in his throat, as tears pooled at his dark lashes. "Just you being here, touching you, kissing you is _everything_ I need, baby." He bent his head to hers, his eyes sparking with the joy he felt with her. He felt her tangle her fingers with his and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

She led him back into the crypt and she stood in front of the carved stone for Stefan's memory. He stood beside her, watching her face as she traced the word 'friend' with her finger. "He was one of my best friends Damon. I will never forget him."

He nodded to her and stood more behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. He tangled their fingers again and bent his head to her shoulder. Everything about her felt phenomenal. He could smell her fruity body wash, her perfume, the smell that was just Elena to him. He watched her run her fingers across the word 'Brother' and he saw her start to sob.

"I'm so sorry you lost him Damon. I'm so sorry. I don't even know how or what all happened yet. I'm so confused."

He put his finger to her lips, turning her around in his arms. "Shh, its okay. There was nothing you could have done. You are right, alot has happened and I'll tell you all about it later. We have our whole lives together.

She nodded sniffling. "I remember. You are human, right?" She remembered talking to Stefan before in between reality and heaven or something like that. They had joked together about Damon and Elena's future and even naming one of their children after Stefan. "We are both human together. That feels so unreal, Damon."

He nodded to her smiling. "And it will take some getting used to, I can tell you that."

She turned back to the gravestone. "Stefan and Caroline...were married?" Again he nodded sadly and pulled her in closer to him so their arms were around each other again.

"Mm hmm, but tragically only for a day," he whispered.

Elena felt her heart breaking for Caroline and her mouth fell open. "Oh God, I can't imagine."

"Yeah, she needs us too," he whispered. "I had never seen Stefan so happy than when he was sharing his vows with her. She is hurting so much right now and probably will be for a long time."

Elena nodded in agreement and then buried her head in his chest, her hands fisting his shirt. She felt his arms around her and just sighed at the soothing feeling she had finally found again.

"I missed you every day, baby," Damon moaned into her hair as he ran one hand through the silky tresses. And I love you so, so much."

She looked up deep in his ocean blue eyes, as tears slipped freely down her cheeks. "I love you too. I'm so excited to start forever with you."

They held each other for a few more minutes before they saw the others coming back. Damon sighed deeply, just wanting to keep her in his arms. "Are you ready for this?" he looked down at her.

She smiled sadly, "I am ready for anything, as long as I am with you, Salvatore." He kissed her forehead once more and then each knuckle as he tangled their fingers again, thinking her new nickname for him was adorable.

Then hands intertwined, they stepped out of the crypt together.

* * *

A/N; Aww I hope you liked it. I wanted their reunion to be at the same time the show had it and just continue past when they cut the scene.

I felt Stefan's funeral was really short and was missing things too so I want to do more to honor his life.

And for those of you that follow my other series. I am hoping to have another chapter of TPW done soon since I am one holidays now for two weeks. Yeah! Damon talking about being hungover and throwing up in this story reminded me of Elena doing the same thing while he is comforting her and rubbing her back in my one of the more recent chapters of the other series!

Till next time.


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